Machine for use in harvesting



3, 1952 E; 1.. CARAGANIS MACHINE FOR USE IN HARVESTING Filed May 9, 1950 4 0 0 0 Q 0 0660 who" M6 .N MA me A MR 3 1 L m l E Y B Fig; 3.

HM EM Patented Dec. 23, 1952 UNITED OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to portable apparatus for use in harvesting low growing plants such as string'beans or the like.

Prior portable devices for harvesting such crops have included a trailer structure having a platform, near ground level, for a standing operator and having alongside and above each platform the hopper of an endless conveyor. This has placed the hop-per directly over the row of plants to be harvested, and has prevented the lifting of the foliage of the plants to uncover the crop.

, An object of my invention is to overcome this disadvantage by providing on the trailer structure two rearwardly extending arms in the same longitudinal plane, one carrying a seat and the other carrying a hopper, both near ground level, and both Well down between the rows of plants.

A further object of my invention is to so mount the seat supporting arm and hopper supporting arm on transverse shafts carried by the trailer that they can be lifted or lowered to various heights above ground by rotating around the shafts and can also be moved sidewise either toward or away from each other by sliding transversely on the shafts.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a power driven suction fan with a rearwardly extending duct which terminates in a substantially horizontal screened intake, adjustable in height, and located above the row of plants, between the seats and hoppers, the foliage being thereby lifted to uncover the crop and any plant pests being removed a the trailer travels above the row of plants.

Another object of my invention is generally to provide a harvesting device in which a trailer straddles a row of plants and as it moves therealong, removes and collects plant pests, lifts the foliage of the plants to expose the crop and positions a pair of operators on each side of the row, within cutting reach of the crop as well as within reach of a hopper adapted to convey the crop to collecting receptacles.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of my new device.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1, but with one endless conveyor omitted.

Fig. 3 is a rear view, partly in section, of the device shown in Fig. 1, but with one endless conveyor omitted.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, ShOWiIlg in dotted lines various positions the parts can assume.

As shown in the drawings, It is a trailer, having a trailer hitch ll of any well known type and wheels l2 and I3 carried by plates I4 and I5, which depend from side bars I6 and ll of trailer Ill. The frame structure of trailer it includes a central longitudinal bar l8, lateral cross bars l9 and 20, side bars l6 and IT, vertical posts 2| and 22 and an upper lateral revoluble shaft 23.

The frame structure of trailer is may be made of channeled metal or tubular metal, but in any case, bars [9 and 20 and shaft 23 are preferably circular in cross section in as much as they also act as shafts upon which parts are pivoted and slidable.

Extending rearwardly and downwardly from trailer It is seat supporting means A, comprising a seat supporting arm 30, bent at 3| to form a horizontal portion 32 near, but above ground level, and carrying a seat 33 and back rest 34.

Arm 3!] is rotatably mounted on shaft 25 so that it can be raised to various height above the ground, or moved out of the way when not in use, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, Arm 30 is also slidable transversely on shaft 20, in order that it may be moved toward or away from the row of plants as desired. A flexible hanger or brace 35 connects an intermediate portion of 30, as at 36, to a sleeve 31 slidable on cross bar I9 of the frame of trailer I 8 and includes a threaded adjusting nut 38 as well as a spring 39 to vary its length and take up shocks. An arm 30 is positioned near each end of shaft 29 to permit an operator to work on each side of the row of plants straddled by the trailer. If desired, a set screw 98 may be used to hold arm 39 in a particular position on shaft 20.

Extending rearwardly and downwardly from transverse shaft 23 of trailer it is hopper supporting means B, comprising an endless conveyor supporting arm 50, including a pair of elongated side guides 55. Pulley shafts 5| are journalled in each guide 69 and spaced therealong, each carrying an endless conveyor pulley 53. A flexible conveyor belt 5 of U shape in the center, travels the length of arm 59 on pulleys 53, the pulleys 53 on shaft 23 each having a key 93 operating in key slot 92. The belt is actuated by a pulley 55 on an end of shaft 23, which is driven by belt 56 and a pulley 51 on a wheel such as IS. A discharge spout 58 is provided at the upper end of arm 50. A receiving hopper 59 is provided at the lower end of arm 56, the side guides 59 being rotatably supported on shaft 23, but being connected by the shafts 5i and the spout and hopper. The bottom of hopper 59 rests on part 32 of 30 just in front of seat 33 and is thus between the legs of the operator, while the operators feet are supported by the foot bar iii.

Arm 50 is thus rotatably mounted on shaft 23 and can be raised and lowered as arm 30 is raised and lowered, while the hopper still remains between the legs of the operator or arm 52 can be moved up out of the way as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Arm 5!] is also slidable transversely on shaft 23, the shaft and conveyor continuing to revolve regardless of the transverse position assumed by the conveyor arm.

The suction means C of my invention oomprises an air duct fixed to the center of trailer I0 and extending rearwardly at H and then downwardly at 12 to a substantially horizontal intake at 13. Intake I3 is thus in the center of the trailer 10, directly over the row of plants P, straddled by the trailer, and has below it on each side, a seat 33 and a hopper 59. A screen 14 is mounted in intake 13, with suitable mesh to allow the passage of plant pest but prevent the passage of plant foliage or produce. Accordion pleats 15 are also provided between intake 13 and 12 to permit the height of 13 to be varied by a set screw 16. A damper ll, of a well known type, is provided to adjust the amount of suction produced by a suction fan blade 18 mounted in duct 10 and powered in any convenient manner such as by a gasoline motor M mounted on trailer l0.

A. collecting screen 83 of finer mesh than 14 may be aifixed near the discharge end of duct 10 to retain any plant pests sucked from plants P and is accessible through trap door 9|. Similarly collecting receptacles such a bags 90 are affixed to the discharge end of spouts 58', and supported thereby, until full when 'they are 'removed and a new bag substituted therefor.

Inoperation, my device is attached to a tractor by trailer hitch H and the intake 13 and screen M of. suction means C are placed at the proper vertical height to permit suction from fan 18 to raise the foliage 86 of plants. P and expose the crop such as beans 8?. Depending on. the width of the row of plants P in the particular field being harvested, the arm as of each seat supporting means A, together with hanger andsl'eeve 3.! is slid. transversely toward or away from plants P toplace the operator within cutting. or picking reach. If one operator requires greater height or depth than the other or if the trailer. is on a hillside, the arms 39 can. be suitably adjusted. by tightening nut 38 on hanger 35. to. change the vertical distance of a seat 33 above the. ground. Since each hopper 5,9 rests on an arm 30, it will automatically assume the correct. relationship above the ground with its arm 30' and seat. 38 and can be slid transversely on shaft 23 to. thetransverse locationof its arm 33-.

Motor M is then placed in operation, causing fan 78 to commence lifting foliage 36, exposing crop. 8'1 and removingv pests. from the row of plants P. As the trailer moves forward, drawn by the tractor, each operator seated. in seats 33 cuts the exposed crop on his sideof the plant, drops it into hopper 59 from which conveyor belt 54 powered'by wheel [It carries. it to spent 53 and: bags 99. When the harvesting operation is complete, the seats and hoppers may be raised to-the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l in orderthat the trailer may safely be drawn along the highways to the next field. Any plant pests colbe removed wardly and rearwardly from said structure on an.

opposite side of said plant row and eachhaving aseat above but near ground level; a pair of end- 4 less conveyor arms each extending downwardly and rearwardly from said structure on an opposite side of said plant row, each conveyor arm having a discharge spout at the upper end and a crop receiving hopper at the lower end, and each hopper being located in front of a seat near ground level; and power driven suction means, mounted on said structure, having an intake screen located above said plant row between said seats and hoppers said suction means being adapted to lift the plants in said row proximate the seats and hoppers,

2. A wheeled structure for use in harvesting crops from. rows of substantially aligned low growin'g plants, comprising a seat for an operator carried by the structure and positioned between adjaoent rows of plants near ground level; an endless conveyor, carried by the structure, having its receiving end positioned. near ground level and aligned with said seat and suction means. carried by the structure, having a suction screen aligned with and above the level. of the. foliage of a row of plants, said screen being proximate the seat and the receiving end of the. endless conveyor.

3. A portable device for use with low growing crops, comprising a trailer structure adapted to straddle a row of plants; means for supporting an operators seat near ground level on each. side of said plant row, said means being vertically pivoted to, and transversely slidable on, said trailer structure; means for supportin a hopper near ground level, in front of each seat, said means being vertically pivoted to, and transversely slidable on, said trailer structure, and power driven suction means depending from said structure above said plant row and having a vertically movable intake screen adju'stabl'y positioned above and between the seat and'hopper on. eaohlsideof the plant row.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein said. seat carrying arms and said endless conveyor arms are mounted on said trailer structure for lateral sliding and vertical pivoting toward and away from the intake screen of said powerdriven suction means,

5. A device according, to claim. 1 wherein the upper ends of said seat" carrying arms and said endless conveyor arms are pivoted to said trailer. structure for rotation in a verticalplane, the lower end of each endless conveyor a'rirlis supported on the adjacent seat carryihgarm and the lower end of each seat carrying arm'is adjustably and resiliently supported from said.- trailer structure. j

6. A device according. to claim I wherein said power driven suction means includes a screen, of finer mesh than said intake screen, positioned. within the suction means in rear or the intake.

screen;

.EVAN L. CARAGANIS.

REFERENCES CITE-D" The following references are of'rcord' in the file of this patent-1: f

UNITED STATESPATENTS Number Name Date.

823,034 Combee June 12,1906 1,180,977 Cook 4. Apr. 25,. 19 16- 1,347,733 Davis July 27', 1920 1,578,423 Gibson et al Mar. 30', I926 1,53%,750 Ellis Feb; 9, 1932. 2395.124. Jelderks r g Feb. 19, 19.46 2,4217% Sawtell- Sept. .23; 1947 2,511,940 'Platti et al". r June 20,.195'0- 

